Latest news with #INSA
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Residents unveil giant 'animated' mural
A six-storey high mural has been unveiled on a housing block in east London, inspired by the memories of those living on the estate. The Priory Court Unity Banner in Walthamstow was created by the street artists INSA, along with local residents, who shared their stories in workshops as part of a project celebrating the heritage of the community. The giant artwork illustrates the area's links to the sewing trade and the artist William Morris, nods to the global diversity of residents and celebrates nature and community. It has been created as an "augmented reality" artwork, so that it appears to animate as a moving GIF when looked at through a special viewer app. Ideas for the theme of the mural were developed during estate-wide resident consultations, which included face-to- face interviews, focus groups and workshops. Young people engaged in the project by learning some of INSA's painting techniques, while some older residents contributed by making appliques that were sewn on to the mural. Mustafa, a trainee mural assistant, said it "meant a lot" to him to work on the project. "I learned a lot of things, a lot of skills I didn't know about before." He added that "everyone smiles" when they look at the mural. Ibrahim, who helped produce the work, said he thought it would make the community "stronger and more connected". "I think the mural is absolutely incredible. You can just look at it and you can see that it tells a wonderful story." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to
BBC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Giant mural unveiled by Walthamstow estate residents
A six-storey high mural has been unveiled on a housing block in east London, inspired by the memories of those living on the estate. The Priory Court Unity Banner in Walthamstow was created by the street artists INSA, along with local residents, who shared their stories in workshops as part of a project celebrating the heritage of the giant artwork illustrates the area's links to the sewing trade and the artist William Morris, nods to the global diversity of residents and celebrates nature and has been created as an "augmented reality" artwork, so that it appears to animate as a moving GIF when looked at through a special viewer app. Ideas for the theme of the mural were developed during estate-wide resident consultations, which included face-to- face interviews, focus groups and workshops. 'Tells a wonderful story' Young people engaged in the project by learning some of INSA's painting techniques, while some older residents contributed by making appliques that were sewn on to the a trainee mural assistant, said it "meant a lot" to him to work on the project."I learned a lot of things, a lot of skills I didn't know about before."He added that "everyone smiles" when they look at the who helped produce the work, said he thought it would make the community "stronger and more connected"."I think the mural is absolutely incredible. You can just look at it and you can see that it tells a wonderful story."
Boston Globe
23-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
High on hemp? New study warns ‘intoxicating hemp' products are everywhere.
The culprit? Intoxicating hemp. Easy to buy at gas stations and corner stores across Massachusetts, hemp products can resemble the candies that they are sold alongside. Some allege they are marketed to children, unexpectedly potent, and not subject to age verification. Advertisement 'The kids will say it's a Rice Krispie treat they found on the ground, but it's not,' Madsen said. Hemp products 'can be tough for the nursing staff to diagnose, and it makes our job of keeping these students safe more difficult. It's everywhere.' The alarm at Springfield High only adds to the concerns about hemp, a pocket of the marijuana industry that has grown exponentially in recent years. Related : Hemp was legalized federally in 2018 to aid its commercial use in textiles, construction, and industrial agriculture, and it typically has a low concentration of THC, the intoxicating compound weed is known for. By law, manufacturers are not allowed to infuse hemp with enough chemical compounds to cause psychoactive effects or change its composition to replicate a marijuana high. Advertisement But that law is often ignored. Pseudo-legal hemp products are cropping up at convenience stores across Massachusetts, says a new study, which claims they are often mislabeled and can pose substantial health risks. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe Intoxicating hemp can be A new white paper from Easthampton-based cannabis operator INSA shows that the public health concerns may be well-founded. The company — which faces stiff regulations as a licensed cannabis business — purchased dozens of hemp products at eight stores in Boston, Framingham, Pembroke, Springfield, and Worcester and tested them at Green Analytics laboratory in Framingham. It revealed that hemp products are often mislabeled and more intoxicating than the law permits. Nineteen of the 21 smokable hemp products violated the federal limits for intoxicating compounds and contained unsafe levels of pesticides and other contaminants, based on Massachusetts regulations for the legal cannabis market. Some packs of the hemp gummies had 500 mg of THC per serving, 100 times the state's 5 mg limit, according to the study. And the THC in a 'Trippy Diamonds' cannabis vape cartridge sold over the counter was 80 percent delta-8, a psychoactive compound that is illegal in Massachusetts, the study reported. Related : The report touches on research that shows over-intoxication from hemp carries risks including 'strokes, seizures, and psychosis.' Advertisement It also reiterates fears among highly regulated cannabis dispensaries and growers that unlicensed hemp is siphoning away business from the legal market. Licensed cannabis operators are heavily taxed in Massachusetts and held to testing and age verification that hemp products are not. And while cannabis sold at dispensaries must be plainly packaged and kept in child-safe containers, hemp edibles come shaped as bears, rings, and gummy worms, often with 'colorful packaging, catchy product names and cartoon imagery,' according to the report. Take Stoner Patch Dummies, one product INSA found with the same neon branding and bubbly font as the popular candy, Sour Patch Kids. The "Stoner Patch" hemp edibles tested as part of the INSA report. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe 'These products present a real and present danger to Massachusetts consumers, especially children, which danger will only amplify as more and more manufacturers, who face negligible risks of enforcement or penalties, flood the market with greater quantities of untested products,' reads the report, authored by the Boston law firm Foley Hoag. Not every store that sells hemp products does so openly, said Steve Reilly, co-owner and director of government relations at INSA, which commissioned the white paper. While buying products for the study, Reilly found one corner store that sold empty hemp cartridges at the register, while the owner offered full ones from his car. Others displayed hemp chocolates alongside rolling papers and glass bowls for smoking and marijuana buds at the counter — a practice that is illegal in Massachusetts, but rarely enforced. 'Why would we do all this with legalization if we allow illegal sales to undermine the market?' Reilly asked. 'You don't need to change the law. You just need to enforce it.' Above-board hemp farmers and manufacturers argue that there are many good players who abide by the federal limits. Advertisement Christopher Lackner, president of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, said his members, who manage 140-some brands, commit to including warning symbols, chemical compound labels, and QR codes that link to product safety results on packages. 'We have no interest in confusing the consumer,' Lackner said. 'We want to empower them with information that allows them to make a smart choice.' Related : But concerns abound about where intoxicating hemp products come from and where they end up. There have been grown and manufactured.) Social media is littered with ads for hemp products that can be bought online. Consumers are rarely equipped to distinguish the good from the bad in hemp products, and it can even be hard to know just how potent a hemp product will be, said Jeff Rawson, founder of the Institute of Cannabis Science in Massachusetts. When testing products himself, Rawson saw that potency of hemp edibles and pre-rolls purchased outside of dispensaries deviated from the products' labelling by as much as 34 percent. By Rawson's calculations, consumers are four times more likely to get an accurate product in a dispensary than a smoke shop or gas station. Some in the cannabis industry are warning that more regulation is needed around the sale of intoxicating hemp products at corner stores and smoke shops around Massachusetts. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe 'With hemp, you can get a horribly mislabeled product, or even a blank' label, he said. Slowly, hemp is being regulated in Massachusetts. The City of Springfield is working on Advertisement The law would put hemp beverages under the jurisdiction of the Cannabis Control Commission and direct local boards of health to monitor the sale of illicit hemp products and remove them from shelves if necessary. In the past, the Globe 'What would happen is uneven enforcement, which is not good for public health,' she said. Diti Kohli can be reached at
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Poll: Slim majority of Germans back pausing arms exports to Israel
A narrow majority of Germans support suspending arms exports to Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza, a survey revealed on Tuesday. The poll found that 58% of respondents favoured a temporary halt to arms deliveries, while 22% were opposed. Another 19% were undecided or declined to answer. The study by polling firm INSA, commissioned by the Avaaz campaign organization, surveyed 1,001 people between May 28 and May 30. Germany's arms exports to Israel have come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has recently announced a review of shipments to determine whether they comply with international humanitarian law. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, by contrast, has backed continuing the arms deliveries as agreed. Avaaz describes itself as a global campaign network that aims to influence political decisions through citizen mobilization.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
PAU's Nitika Sandhu becomes first from university to receive INSA associateship
Ludhiana: A young scientist at Punjab Agricultural University ( PAU ), Nitika Sandhu , has made history as the first from the university to receive the Associateship of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). The prestigious honour is awarded to exceptional scientists under 40 for their outstanding research contributions and leadership potential in advancing science in India. The INSA Young Associateship, a highly competitive honour, has been bestowed for Sandhu's pioneering work in agricultural biotechnology . With this achievement, she now holds young scientist awards or fellowships from all three of India's premier scientific academies — INSA, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), and the National Academy of Sciences (NASI), India. This makes her the first young scientist across all faculties at PAU to receive this rare and distinguished trio of honors. Notably, she has recently been selected as a NAAS Associate for 2025 and an INSA Young Associate Fellow for 2025. Sandhu completed her PhD in 2014 from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, and CIRAD, France. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오돌토돌 닭살피부, 이제야 알게된 진실 현명한소비자 Undo Her doctoral research was supported by the Monsanto Beachell Borlaug International Scholarship Programme. Following her PhD, she pursued four years of postdoctoral research at IRRI, Philippines, before joining PAU in 2018 as a molecular geneticist in the School of Agricultural Biotechnology. Over the course of her career, Sandhu has received numerous accolades, including the NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award, SERB Women Excellence Award, DBT BioCARe Women Scientist Award, CSIR/UGC Junior Research Fellowship, IRRI Seed Grant Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the UNLEASH Lab International Innovation Award. Her research excellence has been further recognised through the successful acquisition of five national research grants from DBT and SERB, and one international project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), United Kingdom. PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal; director of research Ajmer Singh Dhatt; director of School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Yogesh Vikal; and director of GS Khush Institute of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Parveen Chhuneja congratulated her for the big achievement.
